99% Invisible

Fifty-Four Forty or Fight

Oct 26, 2021

Vivian Leigh, a producer, dives into the quirky legal case challenging Washington's jurisdiction over the U.S.-Canada border. Kurt Kolstad, digital director, shares insights about the Peace Arch monument symbolizing friendship between nations. Lasha Madon, also a producer, recounts the ongoing humorous territorial dispute over Machias Seal Island, where both countries lay claim. They highlight the complexities, absurdities, and unique stories flourishing along this lengthy, peaceful boundary, revealing a rich tapestry of history and identity.

43:35

Creator website

Episode guests

Lasha Madon

Kurt Kolstad

Vivian Leigh

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Intro

2min

Jurisdictional Jigsaw: The 2001 Border Case

10min

Borders of Friendship

5min

Border Tales: Health, History, and Ownership

11min

The Lobster Wars: A Territorial Dispute

8min

Borders and Absurdities

4min

Defining Borders in the Wilderness

5min

Geographical Anomalies and Border Tales

4min

At a glance, the border between the United States and Canada would seem to be at the friendlier end of the international boundary spectrum. But even though the US-Canada border is now pretty tame, when two countries touch each other over a stretch of 5500 miles, it can result in some surprisingly weird disputes, misunderstandings, geographical quirks and ...really good stories.

Fifty-Four Forty or Fight

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